UC-AFT in Solidarity with Standing Rock

On November 10th, UC-AFT 1474 at Berkeley demonstrated an act of solidarity with the Standing Rock Water Protectors by participating in the "Union Workers Block the Dirty Money Pipeline" action in Oakland. UC Berkeley lecturers and librarians rallied with over 300 labor activists, representing dozens of Bay Area unions and community organizations, to call on Wells Fargo to withdraw their financial support for the Dakota Access Pipeline. Rank-and-file members from our local's newly formed Social Justice Committee marched, chanted, and even spoke at the rally, including Melissa Stoner, the Native American Studies Librarian in the Ethnic Studies Library, who helped to organize this regional action. 

Following a recent reform to the local's bylaws, UC-AFT 1474 now holds monthly membership meetings which are the main place for decision making within the local. The proposal to create a Social Justice Committee was discussed and approved unanimously at their October membership meeting and it was through this committee that local members organized to participate in this action. In addition, after soliciting member feedback through conversations and a survey, our local endorsed the action to stand in solidarity with Standing Rock.  

On November 22, UC-AFT and UCI's American Indian Resource Program held a No to Trump, Yes to Standing Rock rally. The group passed around a donation bucket and raised $653 to send to those standing their ground and raising their voices at Standing Rock. Here's an article from the L.A Times covering the rally:  http://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/tn-dpt-me-1123-uci-protest-20161122-story.html